Nerelda Nightsong
Nerelda Nightsong is an arcanist of Highborne lineage who recently rejoined the Alliance under the protection of the Shen’drelar. She operates an ancient caste of Lorekeepers known as The Nor’delar (lit. Keepers of the Heavens), who have served as a fount of arcane knowledge for the Highborne for many thousands of years. Through this organization she acts as both headmistress and teaching Professor, guiding young elves through their stages in magic, politics, and history. She is a self-proclaimed collector of valuable artifacts who has a tendency of being fanatical in her pursuits. Particularly, she takes a keen interest in preserving Highborn fashion, and is herself an experienced tailor with thousands of years under her. Nerelda spent many of her earlier years crafting exquisite garments for stage performers, an environment which eventually nurtured her hobby in music, and she has since become a gifted harpist and singer. Nerelda is currently at odds with Darnassian civilizations due to the treatment of the Highborne since their return to Elven lands. Wanting nothing more than to preserve and share the history and knowledge of her people, she is often met with hardship from her fellow Kal'dorei as they continue to reject the Quel'dorei lifestyle. Physical appearance It is the colors of the coming night that flatter her best. When the white of the moon graces the star-lit skies, her pale azure skin dances with an alabaster shimmer and is amplified by the pearlescence of her eyes, infused with ancient magics. Her choice of garments reflect the rays of a sunset’s farewell; faded coral hues blushing against accents of soft gold and sterling, the materials airy and ethereal and nearly intangible to the touch. Through them her delicate frame is clearly visible – limbs lengthy, torso elongated, and shoulders and fingers dainty with genetic elegance. She seems not to harbor any visible tattoos that many others of her race are predisposed to, though a quick reassessment of her general appearance would rationalize that she is not a traditional Kal’dorei - in fact, Quel’dorei may be a more viable deduction. Her skin appears free from scars or wounds of any kind, and she certainly doesn’t hint at being the battle-forged type. Overall, great care in appearances seems to be taken and she exhibits an unusual combination of lavish simplicity. Personality and traits As a commoner of humble birth having risen to the prestigious Highborne lifestyle from the poverty-stricken outskirts of Eldarath, Nerelda preaches the importance of a good work ethic and has little tolerance for those who display otherwise. She tends to have high expectations for those around her and wastes no time with those that lack ambition, deeming these individuals of having lesser worth. Nerelda firmly believes that each person has a responsibility to contribute something of value to society, otherwise their life is all for not - something she desperately attempts to instill in all her students. As a consequence of this upbringing, Nerelda has developed the survival attitude of a entrepreneur and capitalist. Bureaucratic in nature, emotional ties are not her strong suit – and often, the decision to keep someone around is based solely on whether or not the relationship is mutually beneficial in some regard. She lacks the emotional and mental attention required for strictly romantic relationships, but likely would not be against conjugation for superficial purposes. Despite this, Nerelda is surprisingly accepting of people and believes that everyone has something of value to offer. She has a strong respect for those who can develop a plan and see it through to fruition, and regards failure to do so as the ultimate shame in one’s life. Laziness, excuses, and blame are cardinal sins in her eyes and any signs of these traits are grounds for her to disown even the most loyal friends, students, or subjects. A philanthropist of sorts, she takes joy in being able to help others to actualize their ambitions through The Nor’delar, and believes that ultimate power and happiness lies within a person’s inner passions and their abilities to seize it. She also adopts a ‘work hard, play hard’ culture among her colleagues and those under her employ in The Nor’delar, where vast productivity and success is rewarded with indulgence. Nerelda has been known to throw lavish gatherings where patrons are free to party with reckless abandon, and she herself is no stranger to this lifestyle. Trivia Nerelda Nightsong’s general personality was inspired by a combination of Carolyn Myss’ archtype cards, The Hedonist and The Queen, whose positive (or light) attributes are outlined below: : “Inspires creative energy to embrace the good things in life. Celebrates the beauty in yourself" : “Radiates the regal feminine. Uses her benevolent authority to protect others.” : : Likewise however, these archtypes also come equipped with a variety of negative (or shadow) attributes: : “Pursues pleasure at the detriment of health. Indulges at the expense of others.” : “Becomes arrogant when authority is challenged. Controlling and demanding.” Because Nerelda values an individual’s capability to be productive, she often places high demands and expectations of success on those around her. Although her intentions are usually sincere (as she truly only wants those around her to be successful), she often does not understand the inability of some to cope with such pressure. Making matters worse, she is absolutely willing to abandon those around her who have a history of failure (not only with tasks, but in reference to alcoholics and intense magic users as well), seeing their energy as grossly negative and a waste of time. Nerelda believes everyone is their own hero, and no one should expect to be rescued. On the flip side, she is fiercely loyal and respectful to those around her who display high amounts of ambition and the mental ability to overcome pressure for the greater good (“no pain, no gain”). Those at her side are usually close to her, as many trials and tribulations are often endured together to make success happen. Category:Alliance Category:Alliance Mage Category:Night Elf Category:Highborne